A Grand Adventure to the Dry Tortugas

In honor of John’s birthday, Easter Sunday, and the first day of the Civil War all of which fell on April 12th, we sailed to the Dry Tortugas National Park (Fort Jefferson). On Friday evening, before we departed Marathon, the remaining cruisers on West Dock and I surprised John with cake, ice cream, and a round of “Happy Birthday” during sunset festivities. We actually surprised him, which is not easy to do!

On Saturday, April 11th, at 0900 after three months at Marathon Marina we left the dock and set our course for Key West (about 50 miles west). After clearing the Marathon channel, we let out the mainsail, genoa, and staysail, turned off the engine, and sailed peacefully on a reach at seven-knots in two-foot seas. Green sea turtles with two-foot-diameter shells popped their heads up to greet us along the way. What appeared to be a mommy and baby dolphin swam with us for a mile or so, playing and leaping in arcs out of the clear aqua-green water high into the air. Amazing!

By mid-afternoon we found ourselves sailing straight into the sun, once again being led by a trail of diamonds sparkling on the water. At 1600 we started the engine, reeled in the sails, and entered the Key West Channel. We dropped our anchor by Wisteria Island with a view of Mallory Square and a Carnival cruise ship on one side and an unobstructed view of the sunset on the other side. Equipped with cold beverages, we relaxed in the cockpit and watched the parasailing tourists go by high in the air. Following a picture-perfect Key West sunset, we went below to dine on beef stir-fry and mashed potatoes. By 2130 we were asleep.

We awoke on Easter morning without an alarm, excited about sailing the final 70-nautical miles to the Dry Tortugas. All winter we hoped a nice weather window would open up and allow for a beautiful pleasure trip to the Tortugas. By 0730 we had weighed anchor and were motoring out Key West channel. Light winds, calm seas, and blue skies made for a picture perfect day on the water. Once we passed the Marquesas, the water depth doubled from about 43-feet to almost 90-feet. The water color changed from aqua-green to a deep and bright royal blue. I have never seen that color before or since. Nor had I ever been in such crystal clear water. Frigate birds soared overhead showing off their glorious six to seven-foot wingspans. A pair of dolphins swam beside us for about an hour. More sea turtles popped up to greet us. I felt like I was in a documentary for National Geographic.

At last we saw Fort Jefferson in the distance. We reeled in the sails and motored into the west entrance at about 1630. We were the tenth boat in the anchorage. We motored into the southeast end. Although our charts said the water depth was only two feet, our depth gauge showed eight feet. We decided it was safe to anchor there. Once our 65-pound CQR anchor was set, John donned his wetsuit and dove down to check the anchor holding. The water was so clear that he could see the bottom all around Island Chariot. He confirmed that we had all the depth around us we needed.

With no cell phone coverage and NOAA weather cutting in and out on our radio, we were as offshore as we had ever been. We might as well have been on the moon!

Later that evening, we decided a second anchor would be a good idea. So, John jumped into the RIB and drove around to the bow of the boat. Using the windlass, I carefully lowered our 65-pound Bruce anchor into the RIB. Once the anchor was safely in the RIB, John began rowing directly into 10-15 knots of wind. I watched as his chest muscles flexed and bulged. He might as well have been on a stationary rowing machine! Just as I was preparing to hoist the Bruce back onto Island Chariot and prepare to lower the motor onto the RIB, our neighbor, Richard, from the trawler, Calypso, drove up in his RIB. He greeted us with a friendly hello and offered to tow John out to where he wanted to set the Bruce. We were delighted to meet Richard, not only because he appeared just when we needed him, but also because he, too, was retired from the military. He told us about the Naval Air Station marina at Boca Chica (Key West), and about how the 60-foot wires are no longer over the entrance channel. Woo hoo! That will be our next stop!